This invention relates to an electromechanical hearing assistance device for use in an at least partially implantable middle ear hearing system.
In some types of partial middle ear implantable (P-MEI) or total middle ear implantable (T-MEI) hearing aid systems, sounds produce mechanical vibrations which are transduced by an electromechanical input transducer into electrical signals. These electrical signals are in turn provided to a device which amplifies the signal and provides it to an electromechanical output transducer. The electromechanical output transducer vibrates an ossicular bone in response to the applied amplified electrical signals, thus improving hearing.
A typical single path electronic hearing assistance system for amplifying signals received from an input transducer has a single input path for receiving the signal, circuitry to produce the desired output electrical signal, and a single output path for providing the output signal to an output transducer. Such devices are useful for assisting hearing in only one ear. If a person requires assistance in both ears, two devices must be used, one for each ear.
The invention provides an at least partially middle ear implantable dual path electronic hearing assist system and method of use in both of a person""s ears. The invention includes components for implantation within the middle ear regions of each ear, and provides: dual input paths; or, dual output paths; or, both dual input paths and dual output paths; or, a single input path corresponding to a first ear and a single output path corresponding to a second ear. The system is capable of use as a partial middle ear implantable (P-MEI) hearing aid system or a total middle ear implantable (T-MEI) hearing aid system.
In one embodiment, the invention simulates two single path devices. Each middle ear has an implanted input transducer and an implanted output transducer. Each input transducer transduces mechanical sound vibrations into electrical signals that are separately provided to a dual path device. The device processes the received electrical signals and provides a resulting output electrical signals to drive each output transducer and produce mechanical output vibrations, such as to the stapes in each middle ear.
In another embodiment, each middle ear has an input transducer for transducing mechanical sound vibrations into electrical signals that are separately provided to the device. The device processes the received electrical signals and provides a single resulting electrical output signal to one output transducer in one middle ear. The output transducer transduces the electrical output signal into mechanical output vibrations in the middle ear in which the output transducer is disposed.
In another embodiment, each middle ear has an output transducer for receiving output electrical signals from the device that are transduced into mechanical output vibrations. Only a single input transducer is used, disposed within one of the middle ears for receiving mechanical sound vibrations that are transduced into an electrical signal provided to the device.
In another embodiment, a first middle ear has an input transducer for transducing received mechanical sound vibrations into an electrical input signal provided to the device. The device processes the received electrical input signal and provides an output electrical signal to an output transducer disposed within a second middle ear. The output transducer in the second middle ear transduces the received electrical signal into mechanical output vibrations in the second middle ear.
Thus, the invention uses only one electronic device for providing various types and combinations of hearing assistance in both ears of a hearing impaired person.